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SURFACE WARFARE WINTER/SNA 2022
Surface Warfare: The Competitive Edge Story By Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Matthew F. Brown
Photo by U.S. Navy
Every day the Surface Force deploys and sustains combatcredible forces around the world to uphold the rules-based order, deny our rivals’ use of incremental coercion, and create the space for American diplomatic, political, economic, and technological advantages to prevail over the long term. The Secretary of the Navy’s Tri-Service Maritime Strategy, Advantage at Sea, and the CNO’s Navigation Plan reinforce the Surface Force’s central role in deterrence, assurance, and warfighting. Recognizing the need to be ready for future challenges, Vice Adm. Roy Kitchener, Commander, Naval Surface Forces, issued a call for action in Surface Warfare: The Competitive Edge, laying out Commander’s Intent to face current and future Force challenges and maintain the Surface Force’s warfighting advantage in the decade ahead.
“The demands of day-to-day conventional deterrence falls heavily on the Surface Force, and it is the actions the Force takes during peacetime that will prevent ruinous global war and ensure we prevail in the event deterrence fails,” said Vice Adm. Roy Kitchener, Commander, Naval Surface Forces/Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. “A lethal, networked, forward-postured Surface Force that underpins the military’s contribution to integrated deterrence is a Surface Force that is poised to pivot to crisis and win in conflict.” In Surface Warfare: The Competitive Edge, Kitchener details five broad lines of effort, assigning accountability, responsibility, and leadership roles while providing action items with prescribed timelines. Aligning the Force and the Surface Warfare Enterprise with this guidance ensures greater coherence and readiness in confronting a challenging future.
